The tablet market has changed a lot since the original iPad entered the stage, but at the same time, in some respects, nothing much has changed either. Apple’s wonder tablet is still an undeniable dominant force in the market and despite the onslaught of Android slates bringing much variety and choice to the scene, nothing in the market comes close to offering the perfect mix of hardware, software and ecosystem in the tablet form-factor than the iPad. The iPad is indeed an iconic device.

But it would seem with each new version, Apple is finding it hard to create the next killer feature for the iPad. The iPad 2 drew a lot of criticism precisely because of this. Even if the new iPad is going to look very much like the iPad 2 with very little difference in terms of hardware – save for a higher resolution screen and a faster CPU/GPU combo, all of which are already present in the latest range of Android tablets – the new iPad sales figures will still be phenomenal, possibly topping the massive sales of the iPad 2. This is because there is, simply, no real competitor to what Apple can offer, not from the Android camp at least.

Yes, Android tablets are superior in terms of hardware but in terms of delivering the whole tablet experience, Honeycomb has failed to live up to its potential. Android’s latest Ice Cream Sandwich that promises a more integrated user experience on smartphones and tablets, have not made much on an impact either. Interestingly, for those who are looking for an alternative, hope comes from an unlikely source – Microsoft.

We won’t even try to attempt to mask our excitement about this refreshed innovative movement from Microsoft. The Redmond giant has – for the most part – made all the right moves especially with Windows 8. The new OS offers a glimpse of Microsoft’s new future and it looks enticingly good. With Windows 8 comes the promise of a truly seamless user experience across devices be it smartphone, tablet of computer – this is the future of computing.

Apple is heading towards a similar direction trying to create a bridge to cover the gap between its Mac OS and iOS platforms but in our opinion, no other operating system paints a more cohesive picture than Microsoft with Windows 8. And this will be the biggest threat to Apple’s dominance in the tablet market. Of course whether Microsoft can deliver on this promise remains to be seen and the recently released Windows 8 Consumer Preview for the PC has drawn a mixed bag of reactions from experts and regular users alike.

But despite the mixed reaction, the positive vibe is unavoidable. Microsoft has proven itself to be a company that can change and surprise users with wonderment. What’s left for Microsoft to do now is to show that it can follow through and continue to innovate. Apple will tell you, that that is not going to be easy.

So while the world gets itself ready to go into a mass iPad buying frenzy, we’d wait till the dust settles and till the hype dies down to see what Microsoft has up its sleeve before making a decision.

	iPad, iPhone OS, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Windows Phone
	apple, iPad, iPad 3, iPad 3 Malaysia, microsoft, Windows 8, Windows 8 tablet

The Nokia 808 PureView drummed up a considerable amount of interest when it was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress last week. Packing a massive 41MP 1/1.2” image sensor that’s five times larger than standard sensors in smartphones and three times larger than sensors in most compact shooters, the 808 PureView with its novel – for a smartphone – pixel-binding method promises an immensely better picture quality than standard smartphone digital imaging methods.

The 808 PureView created a lot of buzz but many didn’t like Nokia’s decision to mate the device with the ageing Symbian platform (even if it is the latest “Belle” update). With Nokia now in partnership with Microsoft, most of expected the 808 to run Windows Phone instead.

So will we see a Windows Phone PureView device from Nokia?

Looking at Nokia’s commitment to the Windows Phone platform, it’s safe to assume that Nokia will eventually come up with a PureView Windows Phone. However, Jo Harlow, Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Smart Devices, obliterated any room for assumption or speculation when she confirmed that Nokia will indeed make PureView technology available in the its upcoming Windows Phone devices. Harlow didn’t offer much detail but said that a PureView Windows Phone device “will not take very long”.

Looking at Nokia’s trend of re-using designs to speed up development, we can pretty much expect a PureView device running on Windows Phone to look very much like the 808 (that elongated home and power button you see in the picture above can certainly make room for the standard Windows Phone navigation button-array) and we can also expect the device to be available within this year.

With regards to when this PureView Windows Phone will make it to Malaysia, it’s too early to say but we’ve been hearing a lot of talk about Nokia gearing up for something big in June – and this could just be it.

[source, via]

	Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Nokia, Windows Phone
	41MP, nokia, Nokia 808, Nokia 808 Malaysia, Nokia 808 Pureview, Nokia 808 Pureview Malaysia, Nokia Belle, Nokia PureView, Nokia PureView Windows Phone, PureView, windows phone, Windows Phone PureView

Nokia has finally revealed the Nokia Lumia 610, an entry level Windows Phone for the masses. At a lower price point of €189 which is about RM770, this makes really affordable for people to get on the Windows Phone bandwagon. While it also runs on Windows Phone 7.5, the Lumia 610 is actually running on a different variant called Tango that allows it to run on devices with lower RAM and processor while still maintaining an optimal user experience.

In terms of specs, the Lumia 610 runs on a single core 800MHz Qualcomm processor with 256MB RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a 1,300mAh battery. At the front, it has a 3.7″ WVGA TFT display which pushes 800×480 resolution. In terms of imaging, it comes with a 5MP camera with assisted LED flash.

The Lumia 610 comes with a choice of 4 colours – white, cyan, magenta & black. It is expected to start shipping in Q2 2012.

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	Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Nokia, Windows Phone
	microsoft, Mobile World Congress 2012, MWC, MWC 2012, nokia, Nokia Lumia 610, Nokia Lumia 610 Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 900, Nokia Lumia 900 Malaysia, windows phone, Windows Phone Tango

It’s already an open secret that Nokia is working on an affordable smartphone that will be running a lighter variant of the Windows Phone requiring a lower minimum hardware specification. No surprises there. We also know that Nokia will unveil the device at MWC tomorrow and we also know that the device will most probably be called the Lumia 610.

What is still unknown is the full specifications of the Lumia 610. That is till now. Less than 24 hours from Nokia’s big return to the world largest mobile communications event, a “trusted source” revealed to BGR key specifications of the Nokia Lumia 610.

The entry-level Windows Phone is said to feature a 3.2-inch display and a 3 MP camera. Assuming the Lumia 610 will run the Windows Phone Tango edition, we can expect 256MB RAM minimum and a processor clock speed that’s less than 1GHz to keep the price down.

The Lumia 610 is expected to retail for RM700 when it is launched in Malaysia probably in April. All this is of course not yet confirmed but it does paint a promising picture for the Windows Phone platform and Nokia. Having a capable, full-featured smartphone below the RM800 mark will open Windows Phone to a large market of aspirational buyers not just in Malaysia but in a number of big emerging markets worldwide.

[source]

	Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Nokia, Windows Phone
	microsoft, Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress 2012, MWC, MWC 2012, nokia, Nokia Lumia 610, Nokia Lumia 610 Malaysia, windows phone, Windows Phone Tango

At the launch Nokia Lumia 800 and Lumia 710, we had a long chat with Sirpa Ikola, the Head of Smart Devices Product Marketing for Nokia South East Asia and apart from cluing us in on the availability of the white Lumia 800, she also replied to a query about operator billing for apps purchased from the Windows Phone Marketplace in Malaysia. Since many of you are wondering about the same thing, we thought we’d share what she has to say about the matter.

Sirpa said currently operator billing is not supported in Malaysia but local operators are working with Microsoft and Nokia to bring the feature to users as soon as possible. Sirpa didn’t reveal a timeline and mentioned that the three parties and local operators are still sussing out details. She however didn’t mention which operator will offer the feature.

With operator billing, paid apps are charged to a user’s mobile bill. This means you don’t have to tie a credit card to your Windows Live ID to purchase apps. Operator billing will also allow users to pay for apps using prepaid credit. This is great news for prepaid users and for those who don’t have a credit card or don’t want to have their credit card tied up to something that is as vulnerable as a mobile phone.

This is also good news for other Windows Phone users using devices from other brands because they will also get the same convenience.

So now with local support for Windows Phone Marketplace and the launch of the Nokia Lumia 800 and Lumia 710, will Windows Phone finally gain traction here? We certainly hope so. The mobile operating system from Microsoft certainly has a lot of potential, combine that with the marketing capabilities of Nokia and you have yourself a potent concoction to drive a lot of interest and desire to both the product and the platform. All that remains to be seen now is, will the Malaysian public buy it.

	Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Windows Phone
	microsoft, operator billing, windows phone, Windows Phone 7.5, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, Windows Phone Marketplace, Windows Phone Marketplace Malaysia, Windows Phone Marketplace Malaysia operator billing

Outright, the Lumia 800 retails at RM1,650. So how much does it cost to get a Nokia Lumia 800 from the telcos? It’s time for another round of comparison where we compare the minimum cost of ownership under each different plans available. Head after the break for the full comparo.

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	Celcom, DiGi, Maxis, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Nokia, Players on the Field, Windows Phone
	Celcom Nokia Lumia, Celcom Nokia Lumia 800, DiGi Nokia Lumia, DiGi Nokia Lumia 800, Maxis Nokia Lumia, Maxis Nokia Lumia 800, microsoft, nokia, Nokia Lumia, Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 800 launch Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia launch, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia price, Nokia Lumia 800 Price, Nokia Lumia Malaysia, windows phone, Windows Phone 7.5

Today Nokia has the big 3 major telcos offering the Nokia Lumia 800. Apart from DiGi & Maxis, Celcom too is offering the Lumia 800 from RM998.

There are 3 plans on offer ranging from RM88 to RM250 a month with a choice of either 12 months and 18 months contract duration. The lowest RM998 price is offered on 18 months contract of Celcom Exec 250 which comes with 5GB data. For those that don’t want to commit too much for too long, the Lumia 800 can be yours for RM1,348 with 12 months contract of Celcom Exec 50 with 1GB of data.

As usual, Celcom requires an upfront payment of RM300 to RM600 which will be rebated back to your bill across 12 months period. Those that sign up for credit card auto-billing will get additional 5% off their monthly bill for extra savings.

For more information, head over to Celcom.

	Celcom, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Nokia, Players on the Field, Windows Phone
	Celcom Nokia Lumia, Celcom Nokia Lumia 800, microsoft, nokia, Nokia Lumia, Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 800 launch Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia launch, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia price, Nokia Lumia 800 Price, Nokia Lumia Malaysia, windows phone, Windows Phone 7.5

Maxis has finally revealed its Nokia Lumia 800 and Lumia 710 contracted pricing from as low as RM799 and RM499 respectively. Without contract, the Lumia 800 is priced at RM1,650 while the Lumia 710 is at RM999.

The details from Maxis on the plan offering is rather brief probably due to time constraints. We assume that the Nokia Windows Phones should be bundled similar to Androids by committing to a postpaid voice plan (Minimum Value First) and bolt-on data plan.

You have a choice to bundle with either 1GB (RM48/month) and 3GB (RM68/month) data plan with contract duration of either 12, 18 and 24 months. For the Lumia 800, they are offering a limited time promotion where you can get it for just RM799 with 24 months contract of 6GB data plan at RM98/month. If 6GB is too much, the Lumia 800 can be yours at RM1099 with 24 months contract of 3GB data plan. For those that want to commit to a smaller data plan with the least contract time, it is offered at RM1,349 on 12 months contract of 1GB data plan.

For the Lumia 710, it is offered as low as RM499 with 24 months contract of 3GB data plan. At the bare minimum contract duration of 12 months with 1GB data plan, it is offered at RM799. It is also interesting to note that Maxis claims to offer the fastest internet experience of up to 14.4Mbps.

For more information, head over to Maxis.

Still deciding whether to get a Nokia Lumia? You might want to check out our hands-on review here.

Maxis, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Nokia, Players on the Field, Windows Phone

Maxis Nokia Lumia, Maxis Nokia Lumia 800, microsoft, nokia, Nokia Lumia, Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Lumia 710 launch Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 710 Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 710 Malaysia launch, Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 800 launch Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia launch, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia price, Nokia Lumia 800 Price, Nokia Lumia Malaysia, windows phone, Windows Phone 7.5

The Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia 710 will be officially launched here in Malaysia tomorrow but already the recommended retail pricing for the device has been revealed by local device retailer IMCC.

Officially the Lumia 710 will retail for RM999 and as earlier indicated, the Lumia 800 will be priced at RM1,650.

At just a smidgen under RM1,000 the Lumia 710 presents an enticing value for consumers as it delivers the same level of performance as the Lumia 800 because they have identical processor and RAM – 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm MSM8255 chip with 512MB of RAM. The two devices even have the same screen size and resolution at 3.7-inches and 800×480 pixels but the more expensive Lumia 800 uses the brighter AMOLED technology while the Lumia 710 uses standard TFT LCD.

Other differences between the two devices: The Lumia 800 has an 8MP camera where the Lumia 710 only has a 5MP shooter but then again we all know that pixel count is not what defines camera performance so there might not be much separating the two devices in this respect. The Lumia 800 also features a bigger 1,450mAh battery compared to the 1,300mAh on the Lumia 710, though we suspect the bigger battery on the Lumia 800 is to accommodate the more power hungry AMOLED screen so you’re not going to get much gain in battery performance there.

Where the Lumia 800 sits in a price bracket with a number of very capable dual-core Androids with bigger screens and arguably better cameras, the Lumia 710 sits in a price point where there’s fairly not much competition. There are the of course a few good Samsung Android phones below RM1,000 but with its refreshing Windows Phone OS and free turn-by-turn navigation that works really well here in Malaysia the Lumia 710 is a competent and comparable value-packed alternative to the Android set.

Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Nokia, Windows Phone

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After its earlier teaser, DiGi has finally offered its pre-booking for the Nokia Lumia 800. The Nokia Lumia 800 is priced at RM1,650 outright and is offered as low as RM1,099 on DG Smart Plan. Bundled pricing as follows:

DG Smart Plan 48 (12 months) – RM1,449
DG Smart Plan 48 (24 months) – RM1,299

DG Smart Plan 68 (12 months) – RM1,349
DG Smart Plan 68 (24 months) – RM1,099

Currently only the Black version is available for pre-order and it takes about 3 days for delivery.

For more info, head over to DiGi’s Online Store.

	DiGi, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Nokia, Players on the Field, Windows Phone
	DiGi Nokia Lumia, DiGi Nokia Lumia 800, microsoft, nokia, Nokia Lumia, Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 800 launch Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia launch, Nokia Lumia 800 Malaysia price, Nokia Lumia 800 Price, Nokia Lumia Malaysia, windows phone, Windows Phone 7.5